Trinity, Catacombs.
Clutching the wound at my side, I waited for my nearly suffocating heartbeat to settle. Only after a long moment did I straighten up and look around.
"Is everyone alright?"
Saori, Hiyori, Misaki, Azusa...
Despite the chaos, thankfully no one had been separated, aside from Wakamo, who had voluntarily stayed behind to cover our retreat.
Recalling everything that had just happened, I could not help but sigh in regret.
The moment Mika saw me, her emotions had visibly spiraled out of control.
I had wanted to explain myself, but Arius reinforcements arrived at that exact moment and launched a full assault against everyone present.
I wasn't even sure whether it was Misaki or Hiyori, but one of them shouted that there wasn't any time left and dashed toward the entrance while the fighting created an opening.
The catacombs were a maze. Even knowing the route, splitting up would have been a terrible idea. All I could do was throw Mika a hurried, "We'll talk later," before chasing after the others.
After running alongside Arius Squad for what felt like forever, my side now aching with every breath, I finally had a chance to stop and assess our situation.
"...Which means we've lost another major fighting force."
The one consolation was that the three members of Arius Squad hadn't suffered any additional injuries during our escape, and Azusa had joined us.
Still, I had my doubts about whether these girls could truly work together in harmony.
Just like now.
"Saori."
"...What is it?"
Without warning, Azusa strode up to the squad leader she hadn't seen in days. Standing directly before her, she met Saori's slightly evasive gaze, held out her hand, and uttered a single ordinary word.
"The photos."
Saori's eyes instantly sharpened.
"I didn't bring them."
Azusa glared.
"Don't lie. They're definitely on you."
The atmosphere immediately turned tense.
Though admittedly, the reason probably seemed rather bizarre to anyone who didn't understand my charm.
It couldn't be helped. My existence, and anything related to me, had an uncanny tendency to become the source of conflict.
"Alright, Azusa. I'll give you some more later."
I gently soothed the white-haired girl before turning a noticeably colder gaze toward Saori.
"As for you... we'll discuss it after this mission is over."
"I-It's not like I..."
Her voice quickly lost momentum, and she guiltily lowered her head. Apparently, she really was terrible at lying.
Her embarrassed reaction naturally piqued Misaki and Hiyori's curiosity, but neither of them pressed further. Given the timing and the atmosphere, they mercifully allowed their captain to preserve the last scraps of her dignity.
"...There's still some time before the passage seals."
Misaki suggested,
"We should get moving before the pursuers catch up."
Saori eagerly seized the opportunity to change the subject.
"Right. Let's keep moving, Sensei. The routes here are rather complicated, so please be careful."
I nodded while taking out my phone, intending to message Mika and Wakamo, when Hiyori quietly spoke up.
"T-There's no signal down here either... so if we get lost, we're finished..."
Seeing the "No Service" icon at the top of my screen, I fell silent.
...Then again, considering this was supposedly an ancient underground ruin built with prehistoric technology, perhaps that was only to be expected.
In any case, from here onward, conventional communication with the outside world was impossible.
"I can still barely receive a tiny bit..."
Arona said sheepishly.
"But there might be a little... delay..."
As long as the connection wasn't completely severed, useful information might still be worth sending if the opportunity arose.
After that, dragging along my increasingly tired body, I followed Arius Squad deeper into the catacombs.
Not long afterward, a massive gate came into view.
It was built primarily from marble and appeared to have once been gilded with gold, though centuries of neglect had dulled its brilliance.
The structure featured three great arches, while both sides were adorned with countless weathered reliefs. Though ravaged by time, the exquisite craftsmanship they once possessed remained unmistakable.
Saori explained,
"Beyond this triumphal arch lies the Arius Satellite School... This entrance hasn't been used for a very long time, so there probably won't be an ambush here."
After a brief pause, she quietly sighed.
"A fallen school, betrayed hounds, and a forgotten triumphal arch... what an ironic combination."
Yet as far as I remembered, Arius had never truly enjoyed any glory since it was exiled by the Sanctum Council and reduced to a legend.
Still, there was something else that concerned me more.
"If we keep going..."
I murmured,
"...there really won't be any turning back."
...
At the entrance.
A gunshot rang out.
The last Arius student collapsed to the ground with a pained groan.
"Ta-da~☆"
The pink-haired girl smiled.
"That should be the end of it... right?"
As she spoke, she turned toward the only other person still standing besides herself.
The fox-masked girl.
"So who are you again? You look kind of familiar. Sorry, I'm terrible with faces. You don't look like an Arius student, which means... Sensei brought you here?"
"...I won't allow you to interfere with that person."
"I thought so."
Mika let out a helpless sigh.
"Sensei really hasn't changed at all. The moment a girl asks him for help, he gives it everything he's got, without even considering that he might be getting tricked. This time he's even helping people who once hurt him... Isn't he kind of an idiot?"
Behind her mask, Wakamo frowned.
She did not become angry at Mika's oddly meaningful tone. Instead, she simply wondered whether the girl had completely misunderstood him.
To Wakamo, that person was meticulous, unfailingly calculating, and possessed both a sense of responsibility that made her proud and one that constantly worried her.
He was a hero among heroes, a truly extraordinary man.
Perhaps those qualities that so captivated her simply appeared differently to people who lacked the insight to recognize them.
"I don't really have the right to criticize Sensei either..."
Mika pressed her lips together.
Though she seemed to be speaking to Wakamo, it sounded just as much like she was reminding herself.
"But even if it means standing against Sensei, even if he looks down on me, even if I disappoint him... even if he ends up hating me..."
"I have to take my revenge on Arius Squad."
"I'm sorry."
She took a deep breath.
"I can't stop myself."
Across from her, Wakamo had already assumed her battle stance.
"...I'm sorry too, Sensei."
"If you want me to stop..."
Mika said quietly,
"...then come and stop me yourself."